Horse in Myth and Legend - International Museum of the Horse

Horse in Myth and Legend
Name
Date
In this educational packet, students will learn about the way horses
are portrayed in folklore, legends and myths. Students will also
learn about the history of horses throughout different time periods
and why the horse is important to many different groups of people.
This packet is intended for fourth grade students, to be
completed individually or in groups.
For Teachers: Common
Core Standards
Grade 4 Skills and Concepts – Drama/Theatre
Students will
• associate storytelling, myths, legends, or folktales they experience
or perform with specific cultures (Native American, Appalachian,
West African); describe how literature and oral tradition reflect the
cultures
• associate folktales, legends, or myths they experience or perform
with the Colonial American period in history; describe how
literature and oral tradition reflect the Colonial American time
period
• describe storytelling, myths, legends, or folktales of specific
cultures using drama/theatre terminology
Legends and myths about horses have been around as long as horses have
been around. Horses have been domesticated for 6,000 years. They have
been a critical part in human life ever since. They help with hard labor, war
and travel. Because horses are so strong and powerful they become the
stars of legends, like the myth of the unicorn and pegasus. These legends
were passed down from generation to generation, until they were written
down. Legends can have some parts that are true, but most of the time they
are make-believe.
Pegasus
The legend of Pegasus originates
from Greece. Pegasus is the
son of Medousa, the demon that
had snakes for hair and turned
anyone who looked at her to stone.
Pegasus’ father is Poseidon, the
god of the ocean. Pegasus looks
like a regular horse but has two
large wings coming out of his back
to help him fly. Pegasus flys up to
the top of Mount Olympus, where
Greek gods live, and becomes
Zeus’ horse. Zeus gave Pegasus
his own constellation to reward
him.
Pegasus at the spring, Apulian red-figure vase
C 4th B.C., Tampa Museum of Art
Unicorn
The myth of the unicorn portrays the creature as horse like
with one long horn protruding from its forehead. Many
different cultures have variations of unicorn creatures.
In China, a myth tells us of an animal that looks like a
dragon but has one horn called the qilin. The myths tells
that the qilin sprung from the center of the earth. In Persia,
they told stories of the Karkadann. The Karkadann has a
horn like a unicorn but has a bad temper. Some believe
that the Indian Rhinoceroses that live in the region are
the origin of this legend.
A seventeenth-century adaptation of a Persian
manuscript dated 1460. The Karkadann waits patiently
for the ring dove to alight on its horn.
Chinese Porcelain k’i-lin, taken from a mold of the
K’ang Hsi period (1662-1773) and made during the late
Ch--ing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Centaur
Centaurs have the body of
a horse with four legs and
the upper body of a human.
They appear in Greek
mythology as violent and
savage. They often show
skill in archery. Zeus
fathered all the centaurs.
The centaurs live in the
wilderness and make their
homes in caves. A tribe of
centaurs faught Hercules,
the famed half-god halfman.
Centaur aiming at the Clouds
Did You Know...
Most of the creatures that are in this packet are called
hybrids. These are animals that have a parts of
their bodies from two or more different animals. The
Pegasus is half bird, half horse, and the Hayagriva is
half human and half horse.
Hayagriva
The Hayagriva is an Indian Hindu god
with a horse head and a human body. He
has very white skin with white clothing
and four arms. He holds a book in one of
his hands to show that he is a teacher and
wise. People worship him for his wisdom
and strength. His smile that he has in his
paintings makes him seem very friendly
and peaceful.
Hippocampus
The Hippocampus is a sea creature that has the
head and front legs of a horse with the tail of a
fish. The Greeks thought that the sea-horses we
know today were the babies of the Hippocampus
and were not full-grown yet. Hippocampus are
the size of an adult horse and sometimes have
wings as well. These creatures pull Poseidon’s
chariot because he was the god of the ocean.
Vocabulary
archery
The sport or practice of shooting with a bow and arrow
constellation
a group of stars in the sky that is thought to look like, and is named after,
an animal, object, or person
domesticated
an animal that is tame
hybrids
something that is formed by combining two or more things
origin
the place that a person or thing comes from
protruding
to be sticking out
savage
very cruel or violent
variations
something that is similar to something else but also different in some way
Drama
With a partner, write a short dialogue between Pegasus and Zeus in which
Zeus is welcoming Pegasus to Mount Olympus. Is Pegasus happy about
being in Mount Olympus? What is Pegasus going to miss about being on the
ground? Is Zeus going to ride Pegasus in battles? Are the two going to get
along together? Act out your dialogue with your partner in front of your class.
Art
Most of the animals in this packet have been hybrid creatures. This is a
creature that is a mix of two or more different animals. On the next page,
create your own hybrid creature. The animal needs to have one body part
that is from a horse. Create a name for your new hybrid animal.
Example:
Name
Date
My Creature’s Name Is:
4089 Iron Works Parkway Lexington, Ky 40511
Phone: (859) 259-4231
Website: www.kyhorsepark.com